Charles W. Chesnutt to George Washington Cable, 10 January 1889 Charles W. Chesnutt Stephanie Browner Kenneth M. Price Matt Cohen Transcription, encoding Gilmore, Samantha Swift, Bianca McMullen, Kevin Weakly, Laura K. Matheis, Caitlin Barney, Brett Center for Digital Research in the Humanities, University of Nebraska-Lincoln The New School 2021 The Charles W. Chesnutt Archive
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 Charles W. Chesnutt to George Washington Cable, 10 January 1889 January 10, 1889 Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University George Washington Cable Papers LaRC-2 17 8 Correspondence Negro's Answer to the Negro Question typed letter signed Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell) Cleveland, Ohio Cable, George Washington Northampton, Massachusetts Brett Barney changed note reference to point to a special version of n.lit00032 Kevin McMullenupdated encoding Samantha Gilmoreadded correspondent ref Samantha Gilmoreadded keywords and ptrs Caitlin Matheisproofed Samantha Gilmoreannotated Bianca Swift edited and encoded Laura K. Weakly proofed Kevin McMullen proofed Bianca Swift transcribed and encoded TELEPHONE 605.
CHAS. W. CHESNUTT, ATTORNEY-AT-LAW, ROOM 8, 219 SUPERIOR ST. NOTARY PUBLIC.
CLEVELAND, O. Jan'y. 10, 1889 My Dear Mr. Cable:-

I have written something on the Negro question, which, at your kind suggestion, I enclose to you herewith. I do not know that there are any new ideas in it, or that the old ones are expressed with sufficient originality to merit attention. I have tried to write it as well as I could, with the limited time I have been able to devote to it, though I am painfully aware that it could be improved upon. Perhaps there are some things in it which you may not think it wise to publish. I have kept pretty closely to your view of the subject, as I understand it, which seems to me the correct one; and I have doubtless, and unavoidably, trenched upon ground which you have covered. I have indicated by pencil marks on the margin certain passages which it occurs to me you might think better left unsaid; and I am quite willing to accept your advice and suggestions. This is my first attempt at a serious composition of this description, and I would not have ventured to trouble you with it, but for your friendly offer, of which I trust you have not since repented. The difficulty I meet with in in writing upon this question is not a dearth of ideas, but rather a superabundance of them, and it is quite possible that I have written too long an article.

If you can place the enclosed, (in its present shape, or with such emendations as you may suggest, or choose to make in the way of omissions) where it will be read, I will feel that I have tried to do something in a good cause.

There could hardly be any question that the writer of such an article is a colored man; and it has been suggested to me by a gentleman of some literary standing and authority, that a knowledge of that fact would adversely affect my chances for literary success. I hardly think so, for I am under the impression that a colored writer of literature is something that editors and the public would be glad to recognize and encourage. I may be mistaken, but if your opinion agrees with mine, I am not afraid to make a frank avowal of my position, and to give the benefit of any possible success or reputation that I may by hard work win, to those who need it most.

As the reading of my MS. will occupy a good deal of your time, I will not trouble you with a longer letter, but remain

Very respectfully yours, Chas. W. Chesnutt.
To Mr. Geo. W. Cable, Northampton, Mass.
Over.

In stating the negro question I have abbreviated your statement; perhaps it would have been better if I had given it more fully,—but I think I have covered the ground elsewhere in my paper—

CWC